OUR INITIATIVES
Travel accessibility means more than surface-level compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It means removing systemic barriers and changing attitudes within the travel industry so that people with a range of disabilities can do what others take for granted—fully participate in a conference, spend a long weekend in a national park, find a last-minute flight to a family funeral, join a guided tour at a museum or botanical gardens. We have launched several programs and initiatives to educate the travel industry about the needs of people with disabilities and how to accommodate them. In the process, we amplify the voices of travelers with disabilities and create employment opportunities that build upon their expertise and lived experience.
THE DESTINATION A11Y CLUB, is a group of Destination Marketing Organizations committed to advancing accessibility together by sharing information and resources. The Destination A11Y Club is one of the major fundraising vehicles for the Foundation. Club members receive a copy of the The Accessibility Playbook and participate in group promotions designed by the Foundation to create awareness about accessibility and inspire change in their stakeholders.
THE ACCESSIBILITY PLAYBOOK is a 62-page resource guide containing videos, slide decks, technology, products, tips and use case scenarios designed to help any travel organization/company advance their accessibility and educate their stakeholders. The Accessibility Playbook is complimentary for donors who contribute more than $10,000 in a calendar year.
TRAVELABILITY FELLOWS Program in partnership with the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management is a hands on learning experience for hospitality students. Students work with destination management. organizations to research and promote their accessibility initiatives.
DESTINATIONS WITH ACCESSIBILITY is a micro-site that aggregates accessibility content for over 175 destinations in the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The site makes it easier for travelers with a disability to access accessibility information about destinations while planning their travels.
TRAVELABILITY INSIDER, is a monthly newsletter with 3300 subscribers within the travel industry. The newsletter aggregates content to raise awareness within the travel industry about the difficulties disabled travelers face, best practices for their destinations, solutions for disabled travelers and to motivate them to make accessibility a priority.
TRAVELABILITY TRUSTED is a collection of service providers, consultants, technologies, apps and innovations that help make travel easier for people with disabilities. These companies and organizations have been vetted by TravelAbility.
TRAVELABILITY FOR HOSPITALITY is a quarterly newsletter directed to the hotel and lodging industry. The newsletter aggregates content about best practices in the hospitality industry to educate hoteliers and motivate them to be welcoming and inclusive for all guests.
INNOVATEABLE, is an annual showcase of adaptive innovations, technologies, services and amenities that can be introduced through the travel channel.
TRAVELABILITY’S YOUTUBE archives contain over 100 videos and presentations that are available to the interested parties to learn about Best Practices in accessible travel, DE&I, the lived experience of travelers with a disability and practical advice and information on how to more inclusive and welcoming to travelers with a disability. The videos have been generously donated to the Foundation by the Emerging Markets Summit.
FILLING THE ACCESSIBILITY GAP IN HOSPITALITY( in partnership with the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management) is a self-paced learning module designed to train the next generation of hospitality industry executives about all aspects of the accessible travel industry.
ACCESSIBLE JOURNEYS MAGAZINE in partnership with Melange Publishing is a quarterly digital magazine directed towards consumers. A portion of the advertising revenues from the magazine are an important funding source for the Foundation.
